FAQs

Although some people do both, interpretation and translation are distinct professions. Interpreters convert one spoken language into another –or in the case of sign language, they convert spoken communication into signed language and vice versa. Translators convert written materials from one language into another.

Please see our Member Directory. You may search by language combination, area of specialization, and other criteria. Once you’ve found a translator/interpreter who meets your needs, please contact her/him directly. The American Translators Association (ATA) also has an online directory of translators and interpreters, as do numerous other professional associations (e.g. HITA in Houston and MITA in Dallas/Ft. Worth)

Check out ATA’s guides to buying language services for advice on how to choose the right translator or interpreter for your needs.

AATIA is not a translation agency and does not provide translations. Our members set their own rates. Please check our directory and contact one of our members directly to inquire about rates. 

Unlike in some other countries (Mexico and France, for example), there is no government agency in the United States that certifies translators, so there is no such thing as an official, legally certified translation. However, a translator can provide you with a translator’s declaration affirming that he/she has translated a document and that the translation is, to the best of the translator’s knowledge, a faithful translation of the original document. The declaration may be signed in the presence of a notary public, but the notary takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the translation. The American Translators Association (ATA), a nongovernmental professional association, offers certification for translators, but a translator does not have to be ATA-certified to provide a translator’s declaration. For more information, see “What is a certified translation?” on the ATA website.

• Learn about the profession.
• Find educational and training opportunities. Locally, Austin Community College offers a certificate program in translation and interpreting and the University of Texas Center for Professional Education periodically offers courses in court interpreting and healthcare interpreting.  A few universities offer online programs, such as the University of Massachusetts University Without Walls and New York University’s School of Professional Studies.
• AATIA hosts workshops on a variety of topics, as do other professional associations. Check our Webinars page for information about current webinars. Check the ATA website for additional information on training programs. Or just search online for T&I training programs.
• Join AATIA and other professional associations. Most project referrals come by word of mouth. The more people you know in the profession, the more likely you are to get work. Listing your services in an online directory such as the AATIA member directory can also bring you work from other sources. AATIA has a reputation for helping newcomers develop the skills and contacts they need as they embark on their new profession. For newcomer information, contact Esther Diaz, our Newcomer Coordinator. Also check out the advice for newcomers on the website of the American Translator’s Association (ATA), including ATA’s Guide to Starting Out as a Translator and Savvy Newcomer blog, which have lots of tips on getting started in the profession.

The short answer: by taking an examination. However, the exam depends on your specific interest. The American Translators Association (ATA) offers translator certification for some language combinations. See the ATA website for more information. ATA also offers a “credentialed interpreter” designation for ATA members who are interpreters certified or accredited by another body. Court/judicial interpreters may obtain certification from the US federal government or a state government agency. In Texas, the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC) is responsible for certification and licensing of court interpreters. The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) and the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) offer certification for interpreters in the medical/healthcare field.

Some state and federal government agencies, international organizations such as the United Nations, private companies, and healthcare institutions hire staff translators and interpreters. However, most translators are independent contractors (“freelancers”). They find individual clients through online referrals or contract with translation and interpreting agencies who receive translation contracts and recruit professionals to do the work. Most work for freelancers comes through word of mouth. Networking with other translators through organizations such as AATIA can be a rich source of referrals. Listings in online directories such as AATIA’s can also help you to market your services to potential clients.

Some hospitals and courts hire staff interpreters, as do some international organizations. However, most interpreters are independent contractors (“freelancers”). Telephone interpreters are contracted by over-the-phone-interpreting (OPI) agencies, which connect them with clients needing their services. Freelance medical interpreters work through face-to-face interpreting agencies who identify interpreting assignments for them at hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices. Freelance conference interpreters are often contracted by conference organizers from international organizations, government agencies, and private companies. Listings in online directories such as AATIA’s can help you to market your services, and networking with other interpreters through organizations such as AATIA can be a rich sources of referrals.

Basically, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely isn’t. If somebody you don’t know wants to pay three times your usual rate without haggling and/or offers to pay you in advance, it’s a scam. 

Scammers have become more sophisticated over the years and will often copy a logo from the website of a real company and/or set up a fake domain that that is slightly different from the company’s real domain name (e.g. legit.company.com rather than legitcompany.com) to trick you into believing that the job offer comes from a legitimate company or organization.  Before you reply to an email job offer, always check to see whether the company’s website is legit – but DON’T click on a link in an email. Type the domain name into your browser and see what pops up. Or check out the domain registration on  https://lookup.icann.org

Also, watch out for these red flags:

• The sender uses a free email service like gmail or yahoo
• The “From” and “Reply to” email addresses don’t match (the “From” address may appear to be legitimate, but the “Reply to” address is a gmail address)
• The email contains spelling and/or grammar errors
• The sender is vague about the nature of the job offered and/or does not know your language combination

To learn more watch this free webinar from ATA: Don’t Fall For It: Scams Targeting Language Professionals

See some samples of scam emails sent to AATIA members.

Yes! Vietnamese is the third most frequently spoken language in Texas, after English and Spanish, and Chinese is the third most spoken language in the US as a whole. Other languages, including Arabic, French, German, Hindi, Korean, and Tagalog, are well represented, too.  Globalization, migration, and the course of international affairs have created great opportunities for translators and interpreters in all languages. Thanks to technology, language professionals need not be in the same geographical area where their language is used and may have clients all over the world. AATIA’s Member Directory can be accessed by clients from all over the globe who can then contract AATIA members listed there.